Such a method and washing machine are set out in EP 0 548 035 A1. This describes a method and washing machine for cleaning and establishing or restoring a hydrophobic effect of textiles. With the method a washing process, a multi-stage rinsing process and a treatment process for waterproofing the textiles are carried out.
According to GB 2 378 960 A textiles are washed and rinsed in a number of stages, with an agent, which makes the textiles repel marks, being added in the last rinse.
Functional textiles such as top clothing, which is worn for protection against moisture from the air, gradually lose their water-repellent property, their waterproofing, during use. It is possible to establish or restore this property by applying a water-repelling substance to the textile fibers. Generally this treatment is carried out on textiles in a commercial laundry or cleaning operation. However there is an increasing wish to be able to carry out such treatments in a domestic washing machine as well.
In the pertinent trade therefore water-repelling agents are available, which are suitable for use for waterproofing textiles in domestic washing machines. Such agents primarily consist of fluorocarbon resins or agents containing paraffin. The textiles to be waterproofed should be cleaned thoroughly beforehand in a separate wash program. Waterproofing is then carried out separately in the known manner in a standard washing process in a so-called long washing liquid, which is characterized in that a relatively large amount of washing liquid is used per kg of washing. A recommended quantity of water-repelling agent is thereby introduced into the main wash chamber of a detergent dispenser before the start of the standard washing process and supplied to the outer tub of the washing machine together with cold fresh water. The movement of the washing due to the rotation of the washing drum causes the waterproofing washing liquid to come into contact with the washing, while said waterproofing washing liquid is being heated by a heating device in the outer tub. The duration of this treatment is thereby predetermined by the program of the washing machine controller and is for example also defined by the reaching of the predetermined temperature of the waterproofing washing liquid. At the end of the washing process the washing is rinsed a number of times, so that the quantity of waterproofing agent attaching to the textile fibers of the washing is further reduced. The hydrophobic effect that can be achieved with the known method is therefore relatively minor. Also the process for establishing or restoring waterproofing is carried out completely separately from any other treatment process in the washing machine, so the user of the washing machine has to carry out the loading and setting operations twice and also has to wait for the full duration of both separate treatment programs.